Truss for a bicycle saddle and method of making same

Claim 1

In combination, a bicycle saddle having a frame, a truss comprising a bracket separate from said frame, said bracket having a forward end, a rearward end, an arcuate intermediate portion integrally interconnecting said forward and rearward ends, means fixedly attaching said bracket to said frame, an elongated slot extending through said intermediate portion, an upper arcuate washer having an aperture therethrough, a lower arcuate washer having an aperture therethrough, said upper and lower washers being disposed respectively on the upper and lower sides of said intermediate portion with the apertures of said upper and lower washers being aligned with one another and with said slot, a single post having an enlarged lower portion and a reduced upper portion extending through said apertures and said slot and being in tight expanded engagement with the portions of said intermediate portion defining the side walls of said slot, and a cold head being integrally provided on the upper end of said reduced upper portion of said post above said upper washer to unreleasably hold said washers, said bracket and said post in a tight immovable relationship, said truss being the entire support for said bicycle saddle.

Claim 5

A method for forming a truss for the entire support of a bicycle saddle from a bracket having a forward end, a rearward end and an arcuate intermediate portion integrally interconnecting said forward and rearward ends, said intermediate portion having an elongated slot therethrough, from a pair of arcuate washers each having an aperture therethrough, and from a metal post having an enlarged lower portion and a reduced upper portion slightly smaller in width than the width of said slot; said method comprising the steps of placing said upper and lower washers respectively above and below said intermediate portion with the apertures in said washers being aligned with one another and with said slot, extending the reduced upper portion of said post through said apertures and said slot, adjusting the angle of said post with said bracket at a selected angle, and cold working said reduced upper portion by applying pressure thereto to spread the metal laterally tightly against the lateral walls of said intermediate portion defining said slot and to form an enlarged cold head on the upper end of said upper portion to tightly clamp and form an immovable assembly of said washers, said bracket and said post.

Claim 6

A method for forming a truss for the entire support of a bicycle saddle from a bracket having a forward end, a rearward end and an arcuate intermediate portion integrally interconnecting said forward and rearward ends, said intermediate portion having an elongated slot therethrough, from a pair of arcuate washers each having an aperture therethrough, and from a metal post having an enlarged lower portion and a reduced upper portion slightly smaller in width than the width of said slot; said method comprising the steps of placing said upper and lower washers respectively above and below said intermediate portion with the apertures in said washers being aligned with one another and with said slot, extending the reduced upper portion of said post through said apertures and said slot, adjusting the angle of said post with said bracket at a selected angle, and cold working said reduced upper portion by applying pressure thereto to spread the metal laterally tightly against the lateral walls of said intermediate portion defining said slot and to form an enlarged cold head on the upper end of said upper portion to tightly clamp and form an immovable assembly of said washers, said bracket and said post.